Crazier
by breezypixy
Summary: What does troublemaker Sirius do when his best friend,  goody-two-shoes Marlene, is feeling down?  Takes her to the Forbidden Forest of course!  Hilarity ensues and a new relationship just might be formed.


"Come on, Marls. Let's go play beyond the hedge," a young boy of about six called to his companion.

"Siri, you know our mothers said not to," the black-haired girl replied sternly.

"Who cares what Mother said? I wanna go on an adventure like Merlin did!"

"Well, I'm not going. I don't want a beating."

The little boy's face fell. He remembered the last time that his best friend had been dealt _that _punishment. She hadn't been able to touch any surface without wincing for over two weeks. He was used to the beatings; he'd had many over his six years, most for mischief. Marlene, on the other hand, was a bit of a goody-two-shoes. She rarely got in trouble, especially because she was her father's little princess. Her mother, though, was not as loving. Mrs. McKinnon had been the one to beat Marley when she had refused to call another girl a mudblood. Sirius felt responsible for Marley's fate, as he had (in his six-year-old wisdom) told Marley that he saw no difference in the blood others bleed and theirs. He would never forget the picture of his best friend bloodied and bruised.

Compassion slipping into his voice, Sirius relented with a shake of his shaggy raven hair. "That's okay. You can stay here. I'll tell you all about it later."

_I'd never gone with the wind,_

_Just let it flow,_

_Let it take me where it wants to go._

Years passed and soon it was Sirius and Marlene's last year at Hogwarts. Both had rebelled against their families' pureblood ways, although Marlene stilled lived with her family on account of her strong bound with her father. The two best friends had grown apart over the years, but each was there for the other when they needed to talk or had family problems. It was during one of these talks that an event occurred that changed everything between the two.

"They expect so much of me, especially in the marriage department. My holidays are filled with balls and parties that always include meeting 'acceptable' gentlemen. It's so boring and tedious. I wish you were still there for me to talk to," Marlene complained.

"Why do you go? They can't make you, anymore," Sirius asked.

"I can't disobey them like that! I'm not you, Sirius! I can't just leave." Her blue eyes sparkled with tears as she laid her head on the young man's shoulder. His arms wrapped around her, pulling the raven-haired beauty closer. Sirius sighed as he looked at the young woman in his arms. The six-year-old with huge, curious sapphire eyes and black hair that she could sit on was gone. She had transformed into a gorgeous young lady, the envy of many. Her personality had changed too, as had Sirius' and everyone else's, but she would always be a stickler for the rules.

The minutes crept by as Marlene cried while Sirius comforted her and formed a plan. "Marls," he said softly. Her reddened eyes peered up at him. Gently, he stood and offered her his hand. With questioning eyes, Marlene allowed him to pull her to her feet. Still holding her hand, Sirius led his best friend out the door.

Together they walked down to the sparkling Black Lake. The setting sun was reflected in shades of red and gold on the water. Suddenly, Sirius stopped. Marlene, too, came to a halt, and with trembling voice asked, "Sirius?"

The young man made no reply, but scanned the blackened tree-line. His gaze rested upon an unknown object and his face lit up with a wide smile. Grabbing his companion's hand, he started running. "Sirius!" Marlene protested. In reply, the raven-haired teen just laughed. His laughter was infectious, and soon the two were sprinting toward the Forbidden Forest, chuckling with glee.

'_Til you opened the door_

_There's so much more._

_I've never seen it before._

Sirius pushed aside the branches of two pine trees, opening up a path for Marlene to step through. The raven beauty gasped as she gazed up the clearing. The moon shone brilliantly down from the sky, illuminating the ring of shining wolfsbane around the circumference of the clearing. From behind one particularly broad tree, a rolled up sleeping bag peeked its head out. A small wooden well stood across the open expanse, its pail, bright in the moonlight. It was clear that this area was regularly occupied. "Welcome to the Marauders' world, Marley!" Sirius cried.

"How?" was all she replied with.

"Marauders' secret. I can't tell."

Suddenly, the late hour was obvious to Marlene. "We should go in. It's almost curfew."

"Aw. The heck with curfew. We're staying out here tonight."

"What?

"Loosen up a little; have some fun; stay out late; break a few rules for once."

"I don't know."

"Come on. We won't even get caught, I promise."

"I guess." Sirius lifted her up and spun her around yelling while Marlene screamed with laughter.

_I was tryin' to fly_

_But I couldn't find wings._

_But you came along_

_And you changed everything._

"What should we do first?" Sirius said, more to himself than her. "Roast marshmallows? Nah. We can do that later. Talk to the centaurs? Too hard to find them. Oh! I know! Let's ride the bike!"

"Ride the what?"

"Bike. As in motorcycle."

"Motor-watta?"

"Motorcycle. Let me show you. Stay there."

He disappeared into the trees, leaving his friend alone and nervous. A few minutes later, he reappeared, pushing a large motorcycle alongside him. Marlene eyed the machine apprehensively. "Marls, come meet my baby."

"Your _baby_?" Marlene replied, not moving toward it.

"Yep. I started repairing her back in third year. She's worked since last year. I even added some magical devices. Come on, let's take a ride." The young woman remained rooted to the spot. "Marley." Sirius' voice expressed his disappointment in her fear. Grabbing her arm once again, he dragged her toward the beast. She seemed in shock as he lifted her into the seat. He climbed on in front of her, and immediately Marlene wrapped her arms tightly around his torso. He revved the engine, and the motorcycle took off with a roar across the clearing. When it appeared that they would hit the trees, the bike began to rise into the sky. Marlene sneaked a glance and abruptly buried her head into Sirius' shoulder. "Marls, it's not that bad. Open your eyes; we're over the lake now." The teen shook her head against his back. "It's really pretty. Too bad you're gonna miss it."

She looked up hesitantly and tightened her grip but stared, amazed, at the beauty before her. The moonshine highlighted the wisps of mist gliding over the uninhabited grounds, as it lit up the lake with its reflection. The world below seemed so peaceful. "Wow," she breathed, unwilling to break the spell. "You know, I've always wanted to fly, but I've always been too scared."

"I know." He maneuvered the motorcycle back towards the clearing. The landed with a few bumps that ripped short screams from Marlene's throat.

"Thanks," she said as he helped her down from the seat. "For taking me up there. I would have never done it without you."

"Anytime, Marls, anytime."

_You lift my feet off the ground._

_You spin me around._

_You make me crazier, crazier._

Marlene shivered slightly even with Sirius' arm still around her. "I'm cold. Let's make a fire!" Marlene laughed as he threw her on his back and ran toward the edge of the forest. "I'll get the cut wood. You find some kindling." Marley reminisced over the many campouts the two had had as children as she gathered the required small twigs and leaves. Her father would help them set up and start the fire, and then the two children sat around it, conversing and roasting marshmallows until the fire burned out and they were forced to occupy their sleeping bags for warmth. How she missed those carefree days!

The teens met in the middle of the clearing with their assigned pieces of wood. Sirius built the foundation just as Mr. McKinnon had taught them to. He too was lost in the past, remembering the first day that he had boarded the Hogwarts Express. Mr. McKinnon had charged him with a job: to look after Marley. Sirius could recall his exact words: "Now you take care of my little girl, you hear. Keep her from trouble and all that. You're the only one I would trust with this, so you better not make me change my mind." He had promised the man that he would. True to his word, Sirius always watched out for his friend, though perhaps he got her into more trouble than was acceptable. Watching her now, Sirius wondered what Mr. McKinnon would say. He doubted that the older man would fully approve, but he could easily imagine a glint of mischief in the man's eyes as he told him off. With a wave of his wand, Sirius brought the fire to life.

_Feels like I'm falling,_

_And I, I'm lost in your eyes._

_You make me crazier, crazier, crazier._

The flame flickered, splaying light across her best friend's face, and illuminating his grey eyes. In the firelight, Marlene had to admit that he was gorgeous; his jet black hair falling gracefully across his wide forehead and skimming his dark eyelashes. His aristocratic countenance exuded confidence, while his eyes sparkled with mischief and an "I'll never tell" look.

"Marshmallow?" His voice broke through her thoughts.

She had to laugh at his enthusiasm, taking the proffered sweet. "How are we supposed to cook them?"

He grinned and pulled two sharpened branches from behind his back, handing one to her. Several servings of marshmallows were soon roasted and consumed. The two lay side by side, staring up at the stars. "Just like old times," Marlene commented.

"Sure is," Sirius replied and reached down to hold her hand gently.

_I watched from a distance as you,_

_You made life your own._

_Every sky was your own kind of blue,_

"I remember when you got your first full-sized broom and ran it straight into a tree the first time you rode it," Marlene recalled, laughing at the memory.

"Hey! That wasn't funny. That hurt!" Sirius exclaimed.

"It was funny."

"Not as funny as when you went for a walk and lost 'Mr. Bun-bun.'"

"Mr. Bun-bun was my friend."

"Sure, but then you found him right by the door the next morning. You had left him there before you went out."

"Oh yeah, I remember that! I felt so stupid!" The teens burst out laughing. They couldn't stop for nearly ten minutes because every time they looked at each other, their giggles would be renewed.

Finally, they laid, spread eagle, next to each other, panting. "How did you become a 'Marauder'?" Marlene asked.

"I never told you that?" Sirius replied, quite surprised at himself.

"Never."

"Well, James and I met on the train, and then we sat next to Rem and Peter at the welcoming banquet. "

"Sure. But how did you guys get so close and gain the famed name?"

"I guess Moony really brought us together…" he paused not sure if he should continue.

"I know. About his condition, I mean."

"Oh. Well then, that's what really solidified our bond. And James came up with the name after McGonagall told us to keep our maraudings down."

"So they're like your brothers now aren't they?" Marlene seemed down.

Sirius noticed her change in mood and quickly said, "You'll always be my best friend, Marls. It's just kinda different with them 'cause they're guys. I mean, I have them to talk about guy things with and all that, but you're the only one who will ever know all my deepest secrets. We've been friends since birth and that's not ever going to change." He added gentle pressure to the hand he was holding in his.

_And I wanted to know_

_How that would feel,_

_And you made it so real._

"It's just that sometimes I feel a little neglected when you're always hanging out with them and not me. Bit silly isn't it?"

"Not at all. I know we haven't hung out much except when we need to talk, and I'm hoping to change that. I miss being with you. If you loosen up a bit, the other guys might even accept you."

"Ha ha. You're real funny." She punched him lightly in the shoulder.

"You're gonna pay for that!" He stood up and began chasing Marley around the clearing. She shrieked with joy and laughter as they ran. When he caught up to her, Sirius threw his arms around her waist and then tripped. They rolled in the grass, howling with laughter. Looking down at her, Sirius asked, "So are you enjoying having fun and breaking the rules?"

"Most certainly," she laughed.

"Good, because you're going to experience a whole lot more of it from now on."

_You showed me something _

_That I couldn't see._

_You opened my eyes_

_And you made me believe._

"Well… I guess you'll have to try out studying more then."

"Me? A Marauder? Study? No way!"

She crossed her arms and squirmed away from him. "Then I guess I won't break any rules with you."

"Please? You can't resist the puppy eyes." It was true. As soon as she turned to face him, her fake resolve faded.

"Okay, okay. How about we have more, non-rule-breaking, time together, just the two of us?" He nodded in agreement, but quickly noticed a devilish look in her eyes. "And… you have to shave your head!" Sirius screamed like a girl and covered his head with his hands. "Calm down, I was just kidding, but that was priceless." Marlene rolled on the ground in hysterics.

"Again, not funny."

"Is… to," she managed to gasp between laughing fits.

"Is not, but this is." He began mercilessly tickling her, making her shriek with laughter.

"Stop! Stop!" she begged. He finally relented, only to pick her up bridal style and spin her around. He couldn't help but notice how nice it was to hold her that way.

_You lift me feet off the ground._

_You spin me around._

_You make me crazier, crazier._

_Feels like I'm falling_

_And I, I'm lost in your eyes._

_You make me crazier, crazier, crazier._

Sirius tossed her lightly into the air before catching her easily. "Sirius! Put me down!" Marlene cried.

"I don't think so!" he said and began running around.

"Sirius!" He completed his round of the clearing and placed her on a sleeping bag that they had laid out earlier. Her flushed face mesmerized him for a second with pieces of her raven hair splayed across her oval face.

He conjured a tent over them before lying down on his sleeping bag, facing her. They lay there like that for a long time. In the silence, they searched each other's eyes. Sirius found himself entranced by those blue orbs and what he saw in them. Sadness, pain, strength, fierceness, courage, sincerity, trustworthiness, honesty, determination, openness that he suspected was only there with him and her father, and intense love for those close to her. Those shining blue pools that expressed every emotion she felt, drew him into their depths.

_Baby, you showed me_

_What living is for._

_I don't wanna hide anymore._

"Thanks for helping me out today. Today is the best day I've had in a long time," Marlene said, breaking the silence.

"No problem. You're my friend, that's what friends do: be crazy to cheer each other up," he responded.

"That doesn't change that you did it. Thanks, again."

"No problem, again." The teens lapsed into silence once again.

Marlene was the first to speak once more. "Today has been a day of new experiences for me. Do you mind if I try one more thing?"

"Not at all," Sirius replied confused.

Hesitantly, Marlene drew closer to him. She placed on hand on his cheek. He began breathing heavier anticipating what he now knew was coming. She paused with barely two inches between their lips. Sirius saw that she was about to retreat in her eyes. He took the initiative and placed his hand on the back of her head, connecting their lips gently. Marlene stumbled, unsure of herself, but Sirius tenderly guided her lips with his own. The kiss was light and soft but left both breathless when they pulled away. "Marley," Sirius breathed, stroking her hair.

"Siri, that was a mistake."

"No, it wasn't. I may sound crazy but I know that wasn't a mistake. There is something there, but…but if you want, we can just stay the same, for now."

The young woman gulped before speaking. "No, things are going to change anyway, so I'm willing to try if you are."

The young man nodded before leaning in for another sweet kiss. "This girl is making me crazier," he thought.

_You lift my feet off the ground._

_You spin me around._

_You make me crazier, crazier._

_Feels like I'm falling_

_And I, I'm lost in your eyes._

_You make me crazier, crazier, crazier._

_Crazier…crazier._


End file.
